Pros: Setting - Conifer, CO is an absolutely beautiful area. The terrain is exceptional for disc golf. Areas underneath trees are really cleared out well so lost discs will not be a major issue. The air is thin and crisp. It smells like pine trees. It's about as nice of a setting as there is for disc golf.

Design - It's simply a great design. There's no way to describe it better. Elevation is used well. Right, left, long, short ... it's all there.

Tee Signs and Navigation - Very easy to get through this course, even for a first-timer.

Cons: The major cons have already been stated in detail by others.

1) Some shaky natural tee pads still in use.
2) Extremely long walk to #1 and back to parking lot from #20.

Other Thoughts: I didn't put as much effort as I usually do into the pros and cons because I wanted to try something different in this section. Once a course has SO many reviews, it is boring to restate a lot of information. Having said that, I've had the privilege of playing some of the highest-ranked courses on this site, so I'll give you my opinion on how BR stacks up against them. Some will hate this method, but others may appreciate the additional information.

Flyboy: BR is not quite as "epic" as Flyboy. Having Kelly at Flyboy to escort you around is great. BR also really doesn't incorporate water hazards into the design.

Flip City: Flip City is one of my all-time favorite courses. If BR had concrete tees on every hole, it would be better than Flip. Again, just my opinion.

Highbridge Courses: BR compares the most to Granite Ridge in my opinion. They are very similar in terms of length and design. BR probably has slightly more elevation used in the design. Granite Ridge is the only 5.0 in my book at the Highbridge complex. With concrete tees, BR would be right beside Granite Ridge. Blueberry and Gold are great courses, but BR is better in my opinion due to maintenance, tee signs and other navigational issues.

Blue Ribbon Pines: BR is what Blue Ribbon Pines should be ... an amazing 20 hole course. Blue Ribbon Pines has a number of filler holes to go along with about 18 great holes. BR has trimmed the fat. There are no filler holes here. Tee signs are also much more informative.

Phantom Falls and Magic Meadows: Both are great courses, but I think BR is superior based on the amount of land available for use. BR is on a large plot of land and uses it very well. All of these courses should be played when in Colorado though.

In essence, Beaver Ranch is one of the Top 10 courses I've played...and I've played a few now. I don't throw around the famed "5.0" very often, but if Beaver Ranch had 20 concrete tee pads and something could be done to limit the need for a long hike to and from the course, this course would qualify as "Best of the Best". It's that good.

As far as traditional "Other Thoughts" for the review, the first 3 holes play significantly uphill. They will wear you out. After that point, the hike becomes much more bearable. For those not used to the elevation, take your time and bring a lot of water. Water will neutralize the effects of the thin air, so if you usually drink 2 nalgene bottles of water per round, pack a third.

I have heard the course can be crowded at times, but we played on a Monday evening and it was really pretty empty.

There is an extra hole, not sure if it's always used for tourneys or whatnot, but it plays over the small creek into an open field and functions as a closing hole. It's really easy and may make you feel better if you've had a tough round. Otherwise close with #20 which is a pretty awesome finishing hole...steep downhill through a tunnel and into a grove of trees. Very cool.

Also, for out-of-town disc golfers, pack a pair of long sleeves or light jacket if playing in the early evening. Even though you're only about 45 minutes outside of Denver, the temperature drop can be upwards of 20 degrees. I know we went in the middle of July and temps in the mountains were in the 50s. I'm sure the locals are used to the weather, but if you're traveling from afar, just be aware.

Beaver Ranch is an awesome course. It is definitely worth the trip to play, and not to be missed if you're in the Denver area.

Pros: I'm not from Colorado, ended up playing several courses while in the area, and this was what I expected in a Colorado disc golf course.

The most perfect course I have ever played, in my opinion, as far as fun factor goes.....just a fantastic time in general.

Pars are very fair here.
Play well to score well.

I loved playing every hole of this course, and it was truly epic, in my opinion, even though the crowds were comically massive. see cons.

In my dreams, there is a mountain like this one, where discs can fly 600+ feet from the tee.

I had the farthest throw of my life here, and it holds a special spot in my heart.... Just a fabulous course, and is arguably the best in the area.

THIS is what you want in a mountain disc course

-long bombs
-technical holes
-huge downhill shots
-big uphill shots

This is a clean and beautiful park that will test your fitness with a decent hike. Benches are plentiful and are used to advertise local businesses.

Amazing scenery.... HUGE property, Great challenging course that I didn't want to leave.

Locating the park, and parking was fine, Park Ranger was there to take money and give the heads-up to an out-of-towner. Thanks, Dude.

Arguably the best course I have ever played.
Don't miss this one if you are in the area.

Cons: Really!? If I have to mention something, then the only con was the crowd.
It was terrrrrrible.

But you know what? I didn't even care... I was on vacation, so I really didn't mind.... I would have waited forever to play this sprawling mountaintop course.....but if this was my home course, this would probably get old.

Super packed course, so we grouped up with some locals who I enjoyed getting to know, so maybe there are no cons after all.

Other Thoughts:
This probably isn't a good 'beginner course,' as there are times when a putter can fly ~400ft downhill on you with just a soft toss.

Serious Course! I wish it wasn't a 13 hour drive away, but am going back soon, and bringing friends.

Great course.
Worthy of 5 stars, and this is a MUST PLAY.

I really can't add much more than the rest of the reviews, but you won't regret heading here so you can find out for yourself.

Pros: This course is in an absolutely great setting- it is a beautiful walk over the top of pine and aspen covered mountaintop. With the natural scenery of woods, grass, mountains, and wildlife you definitely get that "out-in-nature away-from-everything" feel. Once you get to hole #1 it is only the disc golf course and you up on the mountain- no roads or other park activities interfering with the course.

There is an excellent variety and mix of up/down/sidehill, left/right/straight, short/medium/long, tight and more open, and even a creek on hole 21. The hole design is fantastic being challenging and enjoyable without being insanely difficult. Most of the grassy areas were not tall and thick and the wooded areas had little undergrowth making it easy to find your discs. (the few spots with thick grass were only in areas that you would only reach on a bad throw.)

Terrific signs and baskets. Some older reviews here with lower ratings are mainly because of the lack of tee signs- well...not only are the signs here but they are the best I have seen on any course anywhere! Signs have your standard map, but also has an actual large photo showing precise basket locations so you know exactly where to aim even if you can't see the basket. (I would like to see this setup as the new standard in disc golf tee signs where courses have multiple pin locations that get moved frequently.) This sign style was also on the Johnny Roberts course down the mountain in Arvada.

Additional details- I enjoyed the funny comments on the tee signs as well! Cool basket bag hangers on the posts.

Multiple pin locations to keep it interesting for the locals. Plus a good system of 5 configurations named by colors to help balance total length and also to know which location it was in. (Example for #1: Red=A Yellow=C Blue=B, but for hole #2: Red=B Yellow=A Blue=C) However, I did not see a sign at the beginning to tell which color setup it was for the day. I tried to use some logic in figuring it out but it seemed that the setup did not correspond to any specific color that day. Regardless, the tee signs still have enough info to help know where to throw.

Nice work on the stairs on the steep fairway of hole #1- thank you for those, that walk up would be horrible without them.

Cons: Course is one big loop and does not return to the start until hole 21, which doesn't really matter anyways due to the veeeerrryyyy loooooong walk to and from the course . (I began to doubt I was even on the right trail, but you do eventually get there.) The walk is not a huge deal as it is flay, but it is the longest walk to and from a course I know of.

A mix of natural and concrete tees, though Paulie said more concrete tees were on the way hopefully, as this course gets played a lot and the wear on the natural tees shows. Some of the natural tees were fine, where others had ruts and puddles in them.

The first 3 holes are similar playing straight up the steep hillside (you have to get up somehow), but once on top the course does flatten quite a bit so you get the tiring part out of the way from the start.

One thing I love about disc golf is that most public courses are free, but this one is now $5 to pay (thought is was $3 going in but it was raised on July 1, 2013; also not sure how anyone would know if you paid or not...) so paying is a bummer for locals, but it is totally worth it for a destination round.)

Other Thoughts: Again it is now $5- bring exact money as you just slide it in a slot. This is the main public course in the Hwy 285 mountain course area and the one closest to Denver.

This was my favorite of all the courses I played in the Denver area (liked it better than Phantom Falls and Magic Meadows that were sitting in the top 10 when I played them, although I believe this one has been a top 10 course at some point also.) This is the type of course that I would enjoy playing over and over again.

The altitude has a noticeable effect discs, making them way more stable than I was used to. I had not adjusted yet as I played this course the first day in the area. Allow a little extra time to play if not acclimated to the air as you will need to stop more often to catch your breath after any uphill walk. And take water and snacks with you as you are nowhere near your car once on the course.

There are some older reviews with lower ratings- but this was before the course had tee signs- Get all concrete tees here and maybe a parking lot with restrooms closer to hole 1 and you have a course pretty close to, if not right at a 5.0.

Pros: The variance of shots on the course and amount of trees for a Colorado course with little to no underbrush make this an epic course. Plus the views and terrain changes are great! The tee pee is a great spot to take a break after hole 3 to catch your breath after the walk up the hill from holes 1 to 3.

Cons: A little hilly on a few holes that can cause you to search for a while for your disc if it rolls, but it also motivates you to make it a good shot on those few holes so not really a con, but a challenge of the course.

Other Thoughts: Pay to play, but worth the $5 for sure. It is not a beginners course, but intermediate to advanced players will love it. I still recommend it for beginners though due to low possibility of losing discs and no water hazard except for hole 21 which you can skip or lay up if you want to. My favorite course in Colorado so far, but haven't gotten out to many of the other mountain courses yet.

Pros: When we decided to vacation in Colorado, this was the type of course I expected. The terrain is very mountainous, so bring a good pair of hiking shoes and enough water for the round. If you're a flatlander, you'll need to take a break by the time you get to hole 4 because the first 3 holes are practically straight up hill. Despite the terrain, they were able to design a variety of different holes and you never really throw the same shot twice. The signage was clear and easy to follow and the course flowed well. I really liked the cool little touches, like the original benches, hole sponsors, tee signs and bag hangers. The views are great, even from the trees and the holes are a lot of fun to play while offering a good challenge. Also, there is too much fun for 18 holes so they added a few more. You certainly get your moneys worth at this course.

Cons: There is a bit of a hike from the parking lot to get to hole 1, but I'm glad they did that instead of throwing in a useless "field" hole. I also prefer concrete tee pads, but (on a course like this) I think natural tee pads are more appropriate. I really can't make any negative comments. At first, I was a little bummed out that it was pay to play, but after I finished my round, I was more than happy to donate more to the cause because this course is awesome and I'd love to play it again when I come back later.

Other Thoughts: There are some really cool things on the course that you don't typically see, like the tee pee on hole 5 or the zip line. We were there early in the morning, so no one else was really on the course, but we did see one zip liner when we were leaving and it looked awesome!

Pros: Great variety - This course will require every shot in the bag. The holes never seem repetitive and each one is great in its own way. I can't think of a hole that disappoints me. Some holes are shorter, but require a lot of accuracy. There's multiple pin locations that are moved every now and then.

Fun elevation changes - Everything from straight up a hill to across a valley and down hills.

Excellent tee signs - very detailed with accurate distances.

Benches everywhere - I'm pretty sure there's one on every hole! This kicks ass because this course will take it out of you.

Clean course - Very minimal trash. Trash cans are abundant.

Cons: Pay to play - This is also a Pro in my opinion.

Some tee pads are natural and can get rocky - The pads that are concrete are great. They're a good size. The natural tee pads out there aren't terrible, as I've played on worse, but they aren't great.

Hole 14 - Not much of a fairway when the basket is long. Although, it is possible to hit a lucky/perfect line.

Other Thoughts: This course is challenging, beautiful, and just a lot of fun. It's a great change of pace from Denver area courses which are mainly open layouts. HIGHLY recommended for everyone!

Pros: This course is absolutely amazing! The course is played on a mountain and is challenging, I highly reccommend playing this one if you are ever in the Denver area! There are some great views and wildlife in the area!

Cons: None!

Other Thoughts: I should've packed a lighter bag, the walk from the parking lot was 1/2 a mile and the first 3 holes are straight up the mountain, bring plenty of water and pace yourself! After the third hole it was smooth sailing!

Pros: This is a must for all disc golf players, whether you are a pro or simply a beginner! Bring your best hiking shoes, water and patience as the course begins straight up the mountain and is challenging from first to last!

Cons: That we didn't find it sooner

Other Thoughts: Do it! With many similar courses charging upwards of $20, this is well worth the challenge every time!

Pros: This course is wonderful in nearly every way. Great design, great scenery, great maintenance, and well spaced so you don't notice the neighboring holes. This course takes several hours to play and includes a great deal of hiking and punishment for errant throws. Trash cans (seasonally) and benches at every tee box and wood-chip greens around many baskets.

Cons: A great course and skilled advertising means that development is booming at Beaver Ranch. It's great that so many people are enjoying the area but the land managers seem to be struggling to properly manage that growth. There is a zipline popular with tourist and social groups that can often overcrowd the area and highlight the lack of permanent toilets or proper parking lots.
Crowded is the name of the game these days. Unfortunately, the area is not set up to handle the traffic properly so you can often find yourself frustrated with the park or with people around you. I think the Beaver ranch land managers are going to spend a lot of time thinking about these problems over the next couple years and I hope they can pursue long-term development and revenue planning rather than chasing the short-term payouts given by fad attractions (e.g. zipline, ropes course, alpine slide, etc.). This place is too wonderful, please don't let this become Heritage Square.

Other Thoughts: This course has become a total circus. The group managing this area seem to have visions of grandure but a critical lack of planning skills or taste. They've made a shantytown of yard sale furniture to sell concessions and collect expensive fees. They start huge tags matches at 9 am that clog up the course for most of the day on Saturday and Sunday so there can be lines 3-5 groups deep on every tee box. I truly love this course but it's become a shinning example of irresponsible growth and lack of long-term planning.

Pros: Amazing scenery at this course and elevation changes are great also. Definitely a course for more experienced throwers due to the amount of trees and hiking involved. One of the best, cleanest, and most upkept courses I've played to date.

Cons: A bit of a walk to hole 1 that isn't very well explained on signs for people new to the course. But maps of the course available right when you walk in help.